Parents push for action as their daughter remains target of bullies in Shawnee Mission School District

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OVERLAND PARK, Kan. -- Parents of a Johnson County student with special needs say she was beaten and blacked out at her middle school. The eighth grader’s family says she now has a concussion, and police say they are investigating the case involving the Indian Woods Middle School student.

Her family is putting pressure on the Shawnee Mission School District, after hearing the teen who beat her will be allowed back at school.

“You're retarded, you should kill yourself, no one wants you, your family doesn't want you.”

That’s what Claire Teitgen says students have been telling her, even since Kindergarten. In the sixth grade, she thought about taking her own life.

“I just thought, who would miss me?” Claire said.

Her parents complained to the school district, but say nothing changed.

“They classify it as middle school or elementary school drama. Boys will be boys, girls will be girls and they'll get over it,” Charlie Teitgen said.

So they moved her to a new school last month, Indian Woods Middle School in Overland Park. Claire hoped it would be a fresh start for her eighth grade year, until last Thursday when she says she started getting bullied again.

“It's really sad... why? Why are they doing this?”

She says an eighth grader started making fun of her and Claire snapped back. The next thing she knew, she says the girl grabbed her hair, and threw her against the wall. Claire’s parents say she blacked out. Claire says she woke up to the girl punching her in the face.

“My head was going everywhere and I was shaking and crying.”

Claire’s parents say she now has a concussion and have filed a police report, but Claire’s dad says he was shocked when the principal told him the other student would be allowed back at school.

“Really? A violent offender? Criminal battery, in my mind, intent to do severe harm, you let back in the school population? You gotta be kidding me,” he said.

The school district told FOX 4 they are aware of the fight and are working with police, but refused to comment further. Claire and her parents say they feel as though they’re at the end of their rope and wonder what much more has to happen until a change is made.

“Parents need to get fed up.”

Claire’s parents say Claire was actually suspended for saying a curse word during the fight. Police investigated this as a battery case and handed it off the Johnson County District Attorney’s office to review.